Home Away From Home: Eleonora Cappa’s Journey
Meet Eleonora!
As a little girl, I always dreamed of visiting Australia. Over time, this dream didn’t fade but became even more persistent in my thoughts, alongside my desire to one day become a teacher. The opportunity given to me by my university at the beginning of 2024 has allowed me to merge my greatest aspirations: to do the work I love in a country that has always fascinated me.
However, two fundamental elements truly made the difference in turning my dream into reality: the Bishop Family, my host family, who made me feel at home from the moment I arrived, and Santa Maria College, which has been a place of continuous discovery and learning for me.
Let me introduce myself: I’m Eleonora Cappa, 26 years old, living in a small town near Milan and Pavia, working as a primary school teacher and a recent graduate in Media Education. Since my arrival in Perth on 9 April, I immediately felt at ease with the Australian way of life. Everything seemed calmer and more peaceful compared to the hectic lifestyle I am used to. The landscape of Perth is simply magnificent. Over these weeks, I’ve explored the city, beaches, parks, and surrounding areas as much as possible, and I can say I’ve fallen in love with everything I’ve seen.
Being hosted by a local family and interacting with students has also given me the opportunity to explore different cultural and traditional aspects. The biggest cultural shock I experienced was dinner time: I never imagined having dinner at 6.00 pm. (In Italy, we are used to eating around 7.30 or 8.00 pm!)
Furthermore, being an only child, it has been a fantastic experience for me to have a host sister and brother (plus Luna and Brontë, two adorable host dogs) with whom I have shared special and unforgettable moments. I will always remember the long weekend spent in Denmark, where we all played Monopoly Australia, ate pie and laughed. I will miss many things, especially being woken up in the morning by Brontë’s tail against my door, eager to see me and wish me “Buongiorno!”.
Being an Italian assistant at Santa Maria College during Term 2 made me rethink how challenging yet stimulating it can be to learn a new language. I have always learned English as a foreign language (with all its difficulties, particularly pronunciation), and initially, it felt strange to help others practice my native language, which I’ve always considered easy and never given a second thought to.
It has been a pleasure for me to assist students and colleagues during lessons, both from a linguistic and cultural perspective. For example, I described some national holidays and traditions, shared photos from my life and my family, and discussed our passion for Italian food, music, and movies.
Learning a new language allows you to experience a different perspective on life. That is what happened to me, and I hope it can happen to the students I’ve been helping these past few months. For those who have the perseverance and willingness to embrace a culture different from their own, I hope they find the same enriching experience as I have.
I am deeply grateful to everyone at Santa Maria College, especially the teachers from the Language Department, with whom I have had the opportunity to chat, share stories, and discover aspects of their lives. I feel I can consider them not only colleagues but friends.
Reflecting on everything I’ve experienced and imagining what awaits me in the future, I am thankful for every single moment I’ve lived these past months. I am certain I will deeply miss my Australian life. I feel truly fortunate to have found two new places I can call home: Santa Maria College and my amazing host family.
Grazie e ciao a tutti!
- Feautured, Resilience
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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